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The first year of grief and bereavement in close family members to individuals who have died of cancer

Department of Psychology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim

Marit S Jordhøy

Unit of Applied Clinical Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim

Kristen Ringdal

Department of Sociology and Political Science, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim

Stein Kaasa

Unit of Applied Clinical Research, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), Trondheim and Palliative Medicine Unit, Department of Oncology: Radiotherapy, University Hospital of Trondheim

Using a systematic and standardized method this longitudinal study examines changes in grief reactions in a sample of close family members (n=183) to individuals who had died of cancer. The respondents were followed for 1 year after the loss. The study sample originated from a cluster randomized trial evaluating comprehensive palliative care (intervention) against conventional care (control). Hence, we also compared grief reactions among close family members to the patients in the intervention and control groups. Overall, the family members' grief reactions, as measured by the second part of the Texas Revised Inventory of Grief (TRIG), showed a significant decline over the period studied. However, we found no significant differences in grief reactions between the family members to the intervention and control patients at any point in time, and the pattern of change did not differ significantly for the two groups.

Key Words: grief reactions • close family members (bereaved) • cancer victims • randomized study • TRIG

Palliative Medicine, Vol. 15, No. 2, 91-105 (2001)
DOI: 10.1191/026921601674021869


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